Psalms 91:6 (ASV)

Passage

For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Nearby Context

Psalms 91:4 He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler.

Psalms 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Psalms 91:6 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Psalms 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; [But] it shall not come nigh thee.

Psalms 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "darkness", "pestilence", "walketh", "destruction", "wasteth", and "noonday". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "darkness" and "pestilence", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Thou shalt not be afraid for the..." into verse 7's "A thousand shall fall at thy side...", so "darkness" and "pestilence" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "darkness" and "pestilence" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.